Church of St Mary the Virgin, King's Pyon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary the Virgin
King's Pyon Church
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Location	King's Pyon, Herefordshire
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	[1]
History
Dedication	St Mary
Architecture
Years built	c. 1100
Administration
Parish	Parish of King's Pyon
Diocese	Hereford
Province	Canterbury

The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a very old church. It is located in King's Pyon, a village in Herefordshire, England. This church was built a long, long time ago, starting in the 12th century. That means it's over 800 years old!

It is a special building, listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it is considered very important. The church is shaped like a cross when you look at it from above. It was built and changed over many centuries, from the 12th to the 14th century. Some parts were also fixed up in 1872. The church is made from strong stone, like sandstone. The oldest part is a wall on the north side. It was built during the early Norman period, maybe even in the late 1000s!

The church stands on a hill. Below it, there is a huge redwood tree. This tree was planted in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The Church of St Mary the Virgin is part of a group of churches in the area. It is also a central place for the community. The village used to have a hall, but it was taken down. Now, the church is where many community events happen.

Discovering St Mary's Church

This church has a long and interesting story. It has seen many changes over the centuries.

A Look at the Church's History

The main parts of the church were built in the 12th century. The inside of the roof in the main hall (nave) and the south wing (transept) are from the 14th century. They have a cool two-level design with dark wooden braces. These stand out against the white ceiling.

The tall, square tower was also built in the 14th century. Inside the tower, there are five bells. These bells are very old, from the early 1600s! People who love ringing bells, called campanologists, ring them often. The tower also has a clock with three faces. This clock chimes every hour and was put in place in 1872.

Inside the Church: Old Treasures

When you go inside, you can see an old, decorated tomb. It was likely made in the 13th or 14th century. On top of the tomb is a stone statue of a man in armor. A lion statue rests at his feet. Sadly, parts of the statue were damaged a long time ago. This happened during the English Civil War in 1645. Soldiers from the Parliamentarian side damaged many things inside the church during the siege of Hereford.

In the south wing, there are two special windows. These were put there about 100 years ago by the King family. At the front of the church, there is a carved screen behind the altar. Another screen is at the back, near the old font. These were put there to remember people from the church's past. You can also find many plaques and windows that tell the story of important families who helped the church over the years. A carved pulpit and a lectern stand on either side of the main area (chancel).

Modern Updates and Community Space

The north wing of the church was added later, during the Victorian era. It has recently been updated. Now, this area is used as a community space for everyone. The church's original font, which is very old and from the Norman period, is displayed under a memorial window.

The church has been carefully restored recently. A big project finished at the end of 2017. This project fixed many parts of the church. It included repairing the outside walls and the roof above the organ. The gutters were also replaced, and a special window in the south wing was fixed. This project was mostly paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Before this, there were two other restoration projects. Over the last 10 years, the tower was fixed, and the main hall and roof of the church were repaired.

Images for kids

• 

  Effigy of a man in armour found in the south transept

• 

  Victorian font found at the west end

• 

  Hand copy of an image found in the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England